Gee I miss Kenny Dorham. What a great trumpet player and musician he was. His passing left a large space open in the jazz world. Happily though, his music still lives through great arrangers like Don Sickler who has taken “Night Watch” and arranged it for octet including, trumpet, alto, tenor, trombone and bari sax along with piano, bass and drums. This gives a few more instruments the chance to experience fine arranging and excellent writing in a medium swing feel.

The 51/2 rating is for the challenging changes that accompany “Night Watch” as this chart is based on solos and the chord changes are ambitious, to say the least. A good understanding of improvisation is essential for this Dorham original and if your musicians are prepared they will shine.

There is a background written for soloists on the first chorus acting as an interlude for each new horn. The combination of Dorham and Sickler really works, but keep in mind this arrangement is scored as an improvisation vehicle and you will need some advanced players to pull this one off at the level it deserves.